Chemical Hazards
Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences Featured Resources provide the latest information on workplace safety, health and well-being. Additional information can be filtered by topic in the supporting navigation to the left of the article content.
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OSHA Safety and Health Topic: Waste Anesthetic Gases
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/wasteanestheticgases/
The anesthetic gas and vapors that leak out and into the surrounding room during medical procedures are considered waste anesthetic gases. At any given time more than 250,000 people might be exposed unnecessarily to harmful levels of waste anesthetic gases...
Source: OSHA
OSH Answers: Hazards of Waste Anesthetic Gases
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/waste_anesthetic.html
Healthcare workers in a variety of settings can be exposed to the anesthetic gases that leak out during medical procedures. These gases and vapours are known as waste anesthetic gases (WAGs).
Source: WorkSafe BC
NIOSH Study Finds Widespread Use of Scavenging Systems to Control Waste Anesthetic Gases During Medical Procedures, but Other Recommended Controls Lacking
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-10-05-16.html
This NIOSH article found that scavenging systems, equipment used to prevent waste anesthetic gases from escaping into the operating room, are widely used but other recommended practices to minimize exposure are not always followed.
Source: CDC
OSHA Safety and Health Topic: Laser/Electrosurgery Plume
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/laserelectrosurgeryplume/
During surgical procedures that use a laser or electrosurgical unit, the thermal destruction of tissue creates a smoke byproduct. An estimated 500,000 workers are exposed to laser or electrosurgical smoke each year, including surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgical technologists...
Source: OSHA
NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Occupational Exposure to Antineoplastic Agents
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/antineoplastic/
NIOSH has developed a topic page with information related to preventing occupational exposures to antineoplastic agents, including publications, guidelines and information on effects of exposure.
Source: NIOSH
Personal Protective Equipment for Health Care Workers Who Work with Hazardous Drugs
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/wp-solutions/2009-106/default.html
NIOSH recommends that employers provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect workers who handle hazardous drugs in the workplace.
Source: NIOSH
NIOSH Safety and Health Topic - Glutaraldehyde
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/glutaraldehyde/
This topic page provided by NIOSH includes an overview of glutaraldehyde, and listings of NIOSH publications and other safety and health resources relevant to the topic.
Source: NIOSH
OSHA Hospital e-Tool: Healthcare Wide Hazards Gluteraldehyde
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/glutaraldehyde/glut.html
Glutaraldehyde is a toxic chemical that is used as a cold sterilant to disinfect and clean heat-sensitive medical, surgical and dental equipment.
Source: OSHA
OSHA Safety and Health Topics: Ethylene Oxide
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/ethyleneoxide/
Access information from OSHA on OSHA Standards, Hazard Recognition, Exposure Evaluation, and Possible Solutions.
Source: OSHA
NIOSH List Adds Thirty-Four Drugs that Pose a Risk to Workers in Healthcare
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-10-06-16.html
he National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released its 2016 list of hazardous drugs in healthcare settings, updating the list to include 34 added drugs.
Source: CDC